


Be Mine

by prosodiical



Category: Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Despair, F/M, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-31
Updated: 2016-08-31
Packaged: 2018-08-12 05:10:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7921762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prosodiical/pseuds/prosodiical
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Valentine's Day is approaching, and Chiaki's never been good at chocolate-making mini-games.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Be Mine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EvilMuffins](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvilMuffins/gifts).



It was silly, Chiaki thought. But Sonia had brought it up, eyes shining, a week ago: "It's nearly Valentine's day, Nanami-san! Are you buying or making any chocolate?"

"Like... a dating sim?" Chiaki asked, feeling worried. "I never seem to pick the right one..."

"I'm looking forward to participating in the Japanese tradition! I'm having some specially ordered," Sonia continued, oblivious to Chiaki's sudden onset of stress. "Carob-based chocolate isn't sold here in enough quantity to make some myself."

"Making?" Chiaki said faintly, but nodded after a moment of thought. "I guess... chocolate gives affection points, even if it's not hand-made."

"Exactly!" Sonia said, smiling. "You have that friend in the Reserve Course, correct?"

Chiaki stared at her mutely, feeling the abrupt urge to pull out a game system to hide behind. She and Hinata were friends, not something she had to work for — dating sims were all gifts to increase affection and saying the right thing, and Chiaki had never thought her relationship with Hinata was like... that.

But when she thought about it, she knew Hinata didn't have that many friends, and that he'd always smile at her when he saw her, in a way that made her stomach feel strange. She looked forward to meeting up with him after school and playing Gala Omega with him even though he was still improving and lowered her co-op score. She knew she felt easier in his presence, that around him the world seemed a little brighter, and that he never minded her naps or her games. 

But did Hinata think of her like that? Chiaki had dithered about it until it was too late, and she knew what happened then - she was stuck in the chocolate-making minigame she had never quite mastered.

"Which way was I supposed to swirl?" she wondered, staring down into the pot on the stove. In a game there'd be a guide and a timer, but in real life Chiaki was reliant upon directions she'd found on the internet, which seemed to be missing a few crucial steps. There was chocolate melted in a pot over the stove, and she had found some cute heart-shaped moulds to pour it into, but she had a pile of flavorings she wasn't sure if or when to add. Did Hinata like coffee, tea, nuts? Chiaki was almost regretting the five times she'd deleted Hanamura's number from her phone.

But when in doubt, she thought, imagine it like a game. Dating sims were her bane but if she could reframe it, maybe it would help. Like a weapon with branching upgrade paths, where when you chose one you were stuck with it, or even leveling up and picking a specialisation path you couldn't return. In those situations, she would normally make sure to save before she chose, so she could play each branch, or just collect extra weapons to upgrade separately after choosing the strategically best one first. She frowned, looking down at the pot of melted chocolate and the containers set before her, pursing her mouth in thought.

"Maybe," she said to herself, and started mixing.

* * *

The next day, Chiaki worried her lower lip between her teeth as she kept glancing at the wrapped box of chocolates in her bag, her mind distracted from her game. She'd seen Sonia earlier, bright-eyed as she handed a box to Gundham; his face had flushed red as he ducked his head into his scarf and she smiled at him, and Chiaki had looked away. 

"Nanami-san?"

Chiaki nearly startled, and she heard the noise that meant her ship had been hit. "Hinata-kun," she said, after quickly pausing her game. "Hi."

"Hi," Hinata said, slowly, eyebrows rising slightly. "Are you... okay?"

"Yes," Chiaki said quickly. "I think."

He studied her for a moment longer, and she distracted herself by pulling out her spare Game Girl Advance. "Here," she said, "let's play."

Sitting on the bench next to her, Hinata took her game system and turned it on. "Gala Omega again?" he said, and Chiaki nodded. "Well, maybe I'll get better."

"You're good," Chiaki said, firmly, and she meant it.

Hinata smiled at her, and her heart skipped a beat; she could feel blood rush to her face and she ducked her head to start the co-op game. "Thanks, Nanami-san," he said. "I'm sorry, if I've been... taking up your time."

"You're my friend," Chiaki said, and he looked away. "Hm?"

"Oh," Hinata said, "it's nothing." He made a strange face down at the console as Chiaki started the game, and said, after a moment, "It's Valentine's Day today."

Chiaki's breath caught.

"I mean," he continued, sounding self-deprecating, "it wasn't like I was expecting anything. But even here it's just this huge thing that no-one stops talking about; all the guys talking about which girls they wanted to give them chocolate, all the girls making plans to wait outside the main school..." He glanced at her, quickly, and said, "They didn't bother you, did they?"

Chiaki stared down at her game as Hinata's HP dropped and she killed the enemy that had shot at him. "No," she said, quietly. "Was there - was there a girl you wanted to give you chocolate?"

Hinata's fingers paused on the game, and Chiaki pursed her lips as she tried to cover for him. His HP dropped to one heart, and her thoughts lingered on the box in her bag. "Not - not really," he said, with a tight laugh. "Not in my class, anyway." 

"Not in your class?" Chiaki glanced up, meeting Hinata's gaze, but he quickly looked away. "Hinata-kun..."

He was turning determinedly red, and Chiaki wondered if she had read too much into their time together, if there was someone else. She could feel the worry like a stone in her throat, stopping her from reaching out - but they were friends, weren't they? She pursed her lips in a stubborn frown, tried again. "Hinata-kun, I — "

"I - there is someone," he said suddenly, and ducked his head as his ship died in a pixellated explosion. Chiaki paused their game and struggled to look at his expression, stubborn and intent. "Nanami-san, I..."

Chiaki swallowed, pulled her courage together, and dragged her bag to her side, rummaging inside. "Here," she said, quickly, and shoved the box at Hinata's chest. "For you."

Hinata's hands came up automatically, grasping the pink-and-red wrapped box in his hands, and he stared at her with wide eyes. "Nanami-san," he started, and Chiaki shook her head.

"You can try them, but they're not that good," she said, quietly, "I think. I'm - I'm not good at dating sims, did I tell you?"

"No," Hinata said. He was untying the ribbon of the box on his lap, a strange look on his face. "I thought you were talented at all games."

"Well," Chiaki said awkwardly, "dating sims are hard. There's always - trying to find the right responses, and picking the right gifts, and that Valentine's Day chocolate-making minigame - "

Hinata popped a chocolate in his mouth, chewed thoughtfully, and gave her a surprised smile. "Nanami-san, these are good."

" - what?" Chiaki said, startled. "Really?"

"Here," he said, and picked one up. Chiaki opened her mouth automatically, but could feel heat rush to her face as her lips closed around the treat, brushing Hinata's fingers. His cheeks were red, but he watched her avidly as she bit through the center - caramel, she thought. It was a chocolate; not the best she'd ever tried, but she was no chef, and the individual flavor of the filling came through sweet and clear. "See?"

"Oh," Chiaki said, after she swallowed, "I suppose... it was easier than I thought. I made each of them differently, because I wasn't sure..."

"Nanami-san," Hinata said, and she stopped to look at him, the soft smile on his face. "Thank you."

Chiaki ducked her head and said, "It's okay. I..."

She didn't know how to finish her sentence, but Hinata reached between them and entwined her fingers with his. "Nanami-san," he said, sounding tentative, "you didn't have to make me chocolate, but - I'm glad you did."

Chiaki looked up at him sideways, through the edge of her hair; his expression was quiet and serious. "I like you," she admitted, hesitant, and he smiled and leaned forward, pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth as she startled, froze.

"I don't know if I deserve it," he said, a little wryly, "but, I like you too."

Chiaki smiled, and hoped it captured some of the bubbling hope and joy in her heart. "Hinata-kun," she said. "Do you want to play another game?"


End file.
